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Go Home Let's Celebrate

POLITICS NOVEMBER 4, 2008

Let's Celebrate

BY JOHN MCWHORTER

The Bradley Effect. “God damn America!” “Kill him!” “Why can’t he close the deal?” “Isn’t he a Muslim?” The “terrorist fist jab.” The New Yorker cover. Michelle’s chimerical “whitey” speech. After all of the aggrieved musings and smug insistences, the deal is done.

And now, let’s celebrate.

Don’t talk about how Obama didn’t win by enough points.

Okay: There are whites out there who didn’t vote for him because of, or partly because of, his color. We heard all about them in a thousand earnest newspaper and magazine articles all summer and fall. We were told to worry. We did. And now we know what there was no way to know until now--we needn’t have worried. America really has come that far.

Yes, there are racists--but not enough of them to keep Barack Obama out of the White House. Do we really care that in a perfect America Obama would have won by __ points instead of __? What’s so special about perfection?

Let’s celebrate.

Don’t talk about how America wouldn’t have elected a, well, blacker President.

Okay: It wouldn’t have. A black man with the demeanor and politics of Spike Lee could not be elected president. In the grand scheme of things, do we really care? Isn’t the fact that a black man of a different kind, but black all the same, is now running our country? Michelle Obama is sure enough black, and she seems to think her husband is quite black enough, thank you very much. I assume his kids pass muster.

Let’s celebrate.

Don’t worry that now white people will think there’s no more racism.

We don’t need to worry--they will think that. On barstools and in living rooms throughout America, certain types will be saying “The President’s black--what more do they want?”

But do we really care? Why, exactly, would musing about that signal the health of our sociopolitical conversation?

There will always be people saying and thinking things we would rather they didn’t. That includes, as we have seen throughout this campaign, things about black people, despite our grievous history in this nation. That may not be fair, but it’s the way it will be.

But what matters? What’s good for us as a nation? Wishing for utopia, I submit, is not a useful answer to that question, and especially now. What matters is that there will be a progressive White House. There will remain museums, holidays, college courses, departments, TheRoot.com, and the rest. Racism will continue to be acknowledged and explored, by those who have dedicated their lives to doing so. Joe Barstool won’t be interested--but he wasn’t before, either, and Obama became president anyway.

What Joe thinks doesn’t, in any significant sense, matter. Let’s celebrate.

Don’t worry that Obama is going to get shot.

Yes, too many great souls got shot in the sixties. But none of them had the kind of security that Obama has had now for two years, designed to ward off exactly the kind of chance tragedies which we now know could happen. If Obama were on a hotel balcony in Memphis today, a James Earl Ray sort, who had maybe been one of the people shouting “Kill him!”at a Sarah Palin event, couldn’t get within a half-mile of Obama with anything metal bigger than a nail clipper and we all know it. And notice that Obama has never put himself in any motorcades in Dallas or anywhere else. There’s a reason.

Progress happens, as we learned tonight. Let’s admit it and celebrate.

Don’t wait for Obama to put forth a platform aimed at black people, watch him not do so, and say that it’s because he doesn’t want to lose the vote of whites whose inner-racist could be tipped off if he seemed “too black.”

The days when our government was focused on exclusively black issues was a brief window of time 40 years ago. There are too many different kinds of people in numbers too large today for that era to ever return. Today, progressive legislation for everybody is black legislation.

So, what we will look out for is legislation concerned with people left behind of all hues. Think not of some kind of reanimation of the “Afro-American” politics of 1972, but of Barbara Ehrenreich, thoughtful hiphop, whatever floats your boat--but whatever you think, celebrate.

I know: Our job as serious people is to always contest. We must always Speak Truth to Power. But folks, as of tonight, Power is Barack Obama. This is special. A black man is President--and not just a black man, but a smart, tempered man with an ardent vision of how we might become a better nation.

Something has happened. Open up to it. Lend it the positive energy within you. Join it, to whatever extent you can. Channel your intelligence into it. Want to speak truth to power? Then work on keeping Obama true to his convictions--but not on totemic “resistance” to something as abstract as “racism." What, after all, would the purpose of that be? Don't we have more urgent work ahead of us?

Studiously glum thoughts serve no purpose now.

Serve a purpose. Celebrate.

John McWhorter is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and the author of Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

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23 comments

Not only is this a great political victory for us all. For me, as a white father of three interracial sons, this is tangible proof that my sons can achieve anything. Sorry if I am a bit emotional, but this is more than an election victory for me and the people I love the most.

- mmaunula

November 5, 2008 at 12:21am

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Excellent piece John - thank you.

- Thomas Ash

November 5, 2008 at 4:54am

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John McWhorter's advice/suggestion to "celebrate" is sound and sensible. The campaign was long and not always civil. The outcome was decisive but not welcomed by many. The challenges we face are serious and numerous, both domestically and internationally. The country belongs to us and will be embraced by many people living elsewhere who believe we represent freedom and justice. We owe the President-Elect our support and our prayers in his efforts to demonstrate our finest and most admired qualities.

- Dimitri Sevastopoulo

November 5, 2008 at 10:29am

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One thing that astounds me about this election is that so many black consevatives are behind Obama. Not the Thomas Sowells perhaps, but the more moderate black conservatives (as Shelby Steele points out, if you are black you are automatically a conservative if you think that cultural factors are the primary cause of poverty, regardless of how you feel on taxes and abortion). How can the people who argue so passionately for cultural change, for different parenting styles, and for marriage, be so excited about a president who thinks that the problems faced by the black community are underfunded schools and a lack of affordable health care? Sure, Obama is an advance in the old Civil Rights movement, but that battle was won a long time ago. He is a setback for the ongoing civil rights movement. The one whose goal is to eliminate poverty. And of course I know all the moderate black conservatives are basically pro-choice, but abortion remains the final legacy of the eugenics movement.

- Black conservatives

November 5, 2008 at 10:29am

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An annectdotal story: On Monday I returned from visiting a manufacturer training session, at a factory located about 30 miles south of Cleveland, Ohio. We were treated to a football game and everything was going fine - then the politics started creeping in. Everyone on the trip and working at the factory was white,(including me) but for one Asian lady. The factory personell were blatant about their support for McCain and even held a training session inspired by the election that featured a "game show" with questions about McCain or Obama, with all the Obama questions being inflamatory , rude, and slacious, and McCain questions being complimentary and jingoistic. In training discussions, jokes were made when people were unclear or wrong, that they sounded like Obama, etc, etc.... These were all college educated management and engineering professionals, male and female, from 30 to 60 years of age. Facing down that kind of crassness, arrogance, and plain meanness will be Obama's - and this country's, greatest struggle, especially now that those people "lost". They will probably dig in their heels like recalcitrant 8 year -olds and try to make everything as difficult and unsuccessful as possible, just to spite Obama. When you add the uneductated morons who rail about him being Muslim, etc, etc, I fear Obama and this country are in for a struggle.

- Mike N

November 5, 2008 at 10:36am

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I do not have a problem with our president being black and most white Americans I have talked to do not have a problem, what I have a problem with is how blacks themselves talk about racism all the time, what do they think just happened in this country, the black communities voted for Obama because of the color of his skin not his platform. I personally like Obama, but I get tired of hearing about slavery issues, the blacks are not slaves anymore and I was not a slave owner, it just gets old to keep hearing this over and over again. It is not my fault that blacks along with whites do not want to work for a living, they want hand outs from our government and if this black man can make it to the highest job in the country should give them hope to get an education, and know where their children are, and take part in their childs education. My parents did not have alot of money but they made sure I went to school every day and knew where I was in the evenings. I would like for the government to hand me some money once in awhile, I work every day and some months it is hard to make ends meet. Things do need to change in the country and first starting with the people collecting welfare, when I am in a grocery store and see people dressed in the best clothes and have a 250.00 purse and hair and nails done to perfection and pull out an Independence card to pay for groceries, yes I do have a problem with that, you can walk in any grocery store in the country and see this. I am not just talking about black people I see it every day with white people too. I am just tired of working to see my money handed to those who cannot help themselves black, white, mexican, I don't really care, but of course I am middle America so I just keep getting beat up and that is something that will never change in this country.

- Christine

November 5, 2008 at 11:11am

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Not without us. Viva Clinton! Former President Bill Clinton and U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton campaigned with Noriega in Texas late in the race. But the Democratic nominee was all but abandoned by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which chose to target its financial aid to Senate candidates in states where Democrats were considered more competitive.

- jdcarteriii

November 5, 2008 at 12:05pm

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Mike N, those workplace quizzes you describe sound seriously illegal. Employers, esp. management, can't suggest or tell their employees who to vote for.

- Marcy

November 5, 2008 at 12:36pm

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Obama ain't gonna help you pass that math test or help you improve yourself and your education to get that higher paying job. It's a joke that blacks think this changes everything. It doesn't. Real "change" starts from within. If you need a black president to show that you can "overcome" how very sad. The opportunities have always been there. I seriously doubt that 10 year old black kid is going to say "gee, I wasn't going to study but now that I see Obama as president, maybe I'm going to do well on my tests and aim to be successful too!" Or that gangbanger is going to say, "maybe we were wrong all along - I think I'm going to return to college and take a financial modeling course so that I can join the ranks of Wall Street. " Give me a fudgin' break.

- jwl2672

November 5, 2008 at 1:46pm

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John McWhorter is well aware of the mental cocoons in which many of us--and not just in the black community --held Barack Obama throughout this long, long campaign. Strong, capable and well protected as he is, many of us felt an urge we could not shake to watch over him, worry about him, keep up with his comings and goings and doings. Though I know we now turn to consideration of cabinet posts and policies and more, I want to celebrate, too, even if that only means breathing a sigh of relief that he, and we, can put this part of the journey behind us.

- bencharif

November 5, 2008 at 4:32pm

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In this celebration, John, how about we summon the courage to discuss a new generation of black people rejecting the victimization of Jackson/Sharpton/Farrakhan. How about we actually pull up our sleeves and try to produce respectable cultural analysis instead rehashing invective on how 30 million people are paranoid bigots? How about we actually stop pretending it's 1991, and actually listen to the responsible discourse young black Americans are having right now. Oh, Im sorry. We can't do that? Fine then. "black people are racist" your so brave... "black people are paranoid" Your so mavericky and innovative. It's notlike the cosby callout happened. It's not like Obama gave a fiery set of speeches on responsibility and uplift that 88 percent of black Americans polled agreed with. Oh, snap those things did happen. Well ignore that anyway. Black America is RACIST! RACIST! RACIST! Keep on doing what your doing. And for good measure take another cheap shot at a respectable young black journalist. You got Tai-neishi, maybe Sean Gonzalves next?

- Robert Lashley

November 5, 2008 at 5:46pm

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It appears Mr. McWhorter managed to pass the entire campaign without opening the pages of a local inner city black press publication. It is charming that he knows what blacks are thinking without having read their writings - regarding the new found hope for slavery reparations and renewed redistribution of wealth from the unworthy whites to the worthy blacks, seen the unfair cartoon depictions of John McCain and Sarah Palin riding horses while wearing Klan regalia, and experienced the political suppression of dissenting points of view. Indeed, this is a landmark event in US history and celebrations in some quarters can be expected. Do not assume that the celebrations must necessarily be universal; there are winners, and there will be those who will genuinely lose much more tangilble possessions than their own pride.

- Starbuck

November 5, 2008 at 7:57pm

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I'm almost 60 and most of the history I've witnessed first hand has been pretty miserable. Not only was November 4, 2008 good history, but because Barack Obama can address millions but make it feel like he's speaking directly with you, I have a sense of being part of that history. Rest assured, I am celebrating. I'd also like to do some nominating for the role of unsung hero in the election. Once Pennsylvania broke for Obama, it was clear that an Obama victory in Ohio would pretty much end McCain's chances. But recalling the travesty that took place in Ohio in 2004, could the Ohio results be trusted? Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner worked extraordinarily hard to ensure an honest and transparent election that couldn't be reasonably challenged. In the face of Republican attempts to impugn her character and a legal battle that went all the way to the Supreme Court, she remained steadfast in her duties (even while dealing with several death threats along the way) and orchestrated a flawless election. Without the efforts of Secretary Brunner and her staff, the Ohio Republican Party might have turned the battle for Ohio's electoral votes into a series of messy lawsuits. This potentially could have opened the gates for similar challenges in other states and a nightmare could have resulted that would have made Bush v. Gore look like a traffic court violation. Congratulations are due to Jennifer Brunner.

- Bob the Chubby White Guy

November 5, 2008 at 11:12pm

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Johnny! For literally a few years now I've been trying to get a hold of you so that I could tell you how much I liked lots of what you have to say. I first heard you on NPR a couple of years back and have since read some of your articles and watched you on C-Span. This particular article isn't terrifically full of novel brilliance but I think you were more going for simple authenticity here (a thing not contrived enough to display brilliant insight but in many ways far more precious). In any event I'm pleased to hopefully be able to gain your attention long enough to let you know that you're appreciated. Should you care to contact me I have a gmail account with the name mnuezblue preceeding the "at" sign. Cheers, God bless and, again, I appreciate the sympatico nature of your opinions. mnuez

- mnuez

November 6, 2008 at 8:10am

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As I watched the election returns, one of my first thoughts was that I wanted to hear what John McWhorter has to say. Thanks.

- kynefski

November 6, 2008 at 9:02am

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We should be thrilled at how few people voted against Senator Obama because he is black. We should hope that the numbers continue to shrink. It will be another great step forward when the numbers who voted for him because of his race become immaterial.

- Rich

November 6, 2008 at 11:40am

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Blacks voted for Obama in the 95% range because of his skin color.Powell supported him because of his color.The good General(even with his own affirmative action promotions)understands why the military requires a certain time in grade before a person can be promoted.Hell with Obama's resume he couldn't be promoted in most companies beyond mid-management and most people realize that. BTW if you all think America's race relation problems had to be rectified by a black president then how about the countries of Europe that most of you seem to think are more enlightened that America.The percentage of dark skinned people in places like France and England are just as high or higher than here.When are they going to elect a black leader?

- Chief

November 6, 2008 at 12:36pm

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Polls show that voters for whom race was the greatest factor in their vote voted overwhelmingly for Obama. But of course that doesn't fit in with the tidal wave of propaganda we're getting.

- EM

November 6, 2008 at 12:47pm

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An excellent article. A perfect man? No. Going to be a perfect president? No. Are there going to be controversies, screw-ups, scandals? Yes. But for the first time in a long time, I really have the sense that we have a President who actually cares about the country.

- Rabbi Cy Stanway

November 6, 2008 at 1:17pm

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One thing can be said about ever voter for Obama. Each one of them, including the millions of whites who voted for him, in whole or in part, rejected (or at least suspended) the evil stereotype of genetic black inferiority. Undoubtedly some of those white voters (hopefully a very small number), may still buy into the notion of black inferiority but decided that Obama was a "magic Negro" and clearly smart enough to give him a chance, particularly given the present sad state of affairs to due Bush II. Only the passage of time will give us the true historical significance of Obama's election. But undoubtedly Obama's decisive success in the polls is very promising for the advancement of "race" relations in the U.S.

- JAD

November 6, 2008 at 2:17pm

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Looking at the big picture, Mr. McWhorter's article is correct. It's harder to accept though for a Democrat in Missouri. I look forward to the analysis of why Obama lost the state by a couple thousand votes at the same time that a popular Democratic Atty. General beat a popular Republican Congressman for the open Governor seat by over half a million votes. I'm sure the experience issue can account for some of that, but over 500,000 votes? Please someone, show me!

- equinenurse

November 6, 2008 at 4:16pm

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Post the name of the factory.

- Lew

November 6, 2008 at 4:30pm

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It seems obvious that a lot of "white folks" - and not just the "liberal elite" - overcame whatever misgiving they might have had about Obama. The best example of this is two counties in Western Indiana (a solidly Republican state that hasn't gone for a Democrat since 1964); Vigo and Vermillion. Vigo has an African-American population of 6% and Vermillion less than 2%. Both were built on coal mining, railroads, and heavy manufacturing and have been particularly hard hit by the global economy. There's not a lot of latte sipping in that part of the world. Perhaps the 19% of the population living below the poverty line in those counties is where the real answer lies and that they decided to vote for their own self-interest. Vigo came in with 57% for Obama and Vermillion 52%.

- Barney F. McClelland

November 7, 2008 at 10:25am

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